5 New TGI Friday’s Menu Items, Ranked & Reviewed by a Food Editor

• What It Is: tots with melted cheese, hickory-smoked bacon, scallions and TGI sauce
• Price: $12

I think if these had been fried for a few extra minutes (or shaped a bit smaller), I would’ve enjoyed them more. It’s not that they needed to be crispier, really; rather, the texture of the interior was off-putting, as though the breading or whatever binder used wasn’t fully cooked or well incorporated. I felt like there was cheese inside the tots, as well as on top, but I didn’t love the raw shredded cheese on the plate (melt it on the potatoes, please!). The TGI sauce was a touch tangy but mostly sweet, sort of like Thousand Island with a dollop of tartar sauce stirred in.

• What It Is: What It Is: crispy mozzarella and Asiago cheese sticks, coated in whiskey glaze and served with a side of whiskey glaze
• Price: $11

Is this how Gen Z likes their mozzy sticks nowadays? Their slab-like, oversized shape reminds me of the TikTok-famous Nashville Hot Mozz from Chili’s. These sauces, however, are all their own. This one had an undeniable edge that signaled a distilled spirit in the mix. It wasn’t one-note sweet but leaned in that direction. Think teriyaki meets barbecue, almost like Chinese takeout-style boneless pork spare ribs.

• What It Is: beef patty topped with lettuce, pico de gallo, roasted jalapeños, cheddar cheese and poblano queso, served with queso on the side
• Price: $15

The flavor was on point, as the meat was super savory, beefy, juicy and rich. It was also cooked to a perfect medium. I enjoyed the roasted jalapeños much more than I would have raw (although I adore them pickled), and the produce was crisp, contrasting and fresh. I think the construction of the burger—namely that the tomatoes and lettuce were on the bottom—made the bottom bun soggy to the point that it was basically inedible except at the edges. That said, the queso itself was a crowd-pleaser, with a tame spice level and a thick consistency that coated the fries like a charm. Speaking of, I loved the skin-on fries, which offered a great mix of both soggy and crispy.

• What It Is: crispy mozzarella and Asiago cheese sticks, coated in Buffalo sauce and served with a side of ranch or blue cheese dressing
• Price: $11

There was nothing to dislike about these. Frank’s is reliably vinegary and acidic, delivering medium heat and lip-smacking tang in every drop of sauce. Here, it offered bright contrast to the mild, creamy cheese. The breading’s crispness held impressively long under the sauce too. P.S.: Our server brought us blue cheese dressing as the side, and due to its smooth texture and minimal funk, I’d consider it blue cheese for ranch people.

• What It Is: crispy mozzarella and Asiago cheese sticks, coated in garlic Parmesan sauce and served with a side of marinara
• Price: $11

These lasted about 30 seconds after hitting the table. Salty, cheesy and encrusted in thick, crisp, slightly herbaceous breading, the sauce was teeming with the fragrance and flavor of roasted garlic. The mozzarella sticks (all three of them, FYI) offered stretchy, photogenic pulls, but mild, milky flavor with minimal funk, despite the Asiago. I quite enjoyed the marinara as well, as it was rustic, tangy, simple and not littered with a boatload of herbs or garlic.